Wrong House

This story is from our 10th issue, themed “HOLDOUTS”—about the things we hold onto, and hold out for. Read the editor’s note here. Also in this issue: “You Have to Give Up What You Have to Get What You Need,” by Jesse Dorris; “Working with Stone, Ethan Stebbins Finds the Seam,” by Ben Dreith; “How Much AI Can You Take?” by Elizabeth Fazzare.

This story is from our 10th issue, themed “HOLDOUTS”—about the things we hold onto, and hold out for.Read the editor’s note here. Also in this issue: “You Have to Give Up What You Have to Get What You Need,” by Jesse Dorris; “Working with Stone, Ethan Stebbins Finds the Seam,” by Ben Dreith. Hi there, housemates, It’s been an interesting month in the culture war over AI. A few things I’ve been tracking: — Substack embedding Pangram, an AI writing detection tool, into its content management system.

This story is from our 10th issue, themed “HOLDOUTS”—about the things we hold onto, and hold out for. Read the editor’s note here. Also in this issue: “You Have to Give Up What You Have to Get What You Need,” by Jesse Dorris. Hi there, housemates, This week, in the spirit of holdouts, we’re taking a closer look at a maker who’s working with possibly the world’s most ancient medium: stone.

This is the first story from our 10th issue, themed “HOLDOUTS”—about the things we hold onto, and hold out for. Read the editor’s note here. After publishing his coming-of-age essay “My Prince-Themed Bedroom Was a Revolution” in Wrong House’s debut issue, I knew I needed to invite Jesse back for a second round. We caught up over Zoom, his then-crumbling kitchen lurking in the background. He had recently scheduled a contractor to start its renovation. The project was one he’d deferred for years.

Hi there, housemates, About a week ago, a piece of New York City history revealed itself. For decades, a towering sign in Herald Square has concealed a five-story building that, around 1900, was snapped up by a department store rival hoping to gain leverage over Macy’s as they moved into the neighborhood. The plan failed; Macy’s built its retail monolith around the original structure, dwarfing it. The owner eventually sold.

Hey there, housemates, We’re officially in the dead of summer—and though the weather here in the Hudson Valley is surprisingly damp and cool this week, things are heating up. The theme of our ninth issue this past month was “Getting Warmer.” When I came up with that conceit, I thought the stories would focus on hospitality: emotional warmth, hosting, homes, hotels. And though we have a bit of that—see Alex T.

By Megan C. Reynolds There’s a chair in the den at my father’s house that, to me, is perfect. It is large, red, and assertive, and bears a passing resemblance to Jindřich Halabala’s slutty little Art Deco armchairs for Thonet. The generous arms can accommodate a stack of books, my large water bottle, and a flotilla of TV remotes that you’ll find in a Boomer household. To sit in it is to feel enveloped. Nothing hurts or feels bad.

By Monica Nelson Every day we inch closer to July 4, 2026, America is heating up. The sun is streaming through the temporary decals on the windows of Bank of America that read, “Celebrating 250 Years of the American Dream.” Printed summer picnic plates at Walmart go viral for their wording, “United States of America, 1776–2026.” As people prepare for our nation’s “birthday,” and skim over the unpronounceability of the word “semiquincentennial” in articles about Donald J.

How to Escape the Noise A Q&A with Nicole Kelner, author of the new book "Quietest Places in New York City." // By Lila Allen In the Electric Bowery studio, cofounder Lucia Bartholomew is programming for people. // By Alex T. Williams

A city’s noise can tell you a lot about it—from the roar of its transit to its rituals and celebrations (go Knicks!). It’s also arguably one of the more accessible metrics we have for understanding climate change, as illustrator Nicole Kelner points out.